Bernardi keeps on losing

LIBERAL Party Senator Cory Bernardi has lost another parliamentary role following comments he made to the Senate last week linking gay marriage to bestiality and polyamory.

Senator Bernadi had been deputy manager of Opposition business in the Senate but was replaced by West Australian Liberal Michaelia Cash.

Senator Bernardi lost the position at the same time he resigned from his position as parliamentary secretary to Opposition leader Tony Abbott. However it was not announced on Wednesday at the same time as his resignation.

A spokesman for Mr Abbott confirmed the move and said the change had been noted in papers that were tabled later that day in both the House of Representatives and Senate.

Mr Abbott yesterday refused to comment on Senator Bernardi's decision to pull out of a meeting in Europe.

Senator Bernardi had been due to address a meeting of the European Young Conservative Freedom Summit in Oxford this weekend but he pulled out late on Friday. ''I contacted the organisers yesterday to say that my attendance at their conference had become a distraction,'' Senator Bernardi said in a statement.

''I had intended to talk about Australia and the Commonwealth, but that message would be lost, and I don't want to drag an unrelated issue into this important conference.''

Mr Abbott said yesterday Senator Bernardi's decision was ''a matter for Cory''. He made no comment on Senator Bernardi's trip other than to say, ''We ended the week somewhat stronger than we started it.''